Paradip Port Authority Detained a Chinese Cargo Ship Over Monetary Dispute

A Chinese Cargo Ship Has been Detained at an Indian Port due to a Financial Dispute. ??

The Paradip Port Authority (PPA) has detained the Chinese cargo vessel in response to a “ship detention” order from the Odisha High Court. The Court’s decision was grounded in the shipowner’s failure to pay ?998,100 to a freight forwarding company.??????????????????????

The detention, carried out on July 31, was an outcome of a financial disagreement between the ship’s owner and a trading company over the delivery of low-sulfur marine gas oil. The trading company, which delivered the low-sulfur marine gas oil, alleged that the shipowner did not pay ?998,100.?

The company filed an admiralty complaint in the Orissa High Court. The court concluded that the claim was valid under admiralty jurisdiction in conformity with a decree under Section 4 of the Admiralty (Jurisdiction and Settlement of Maritime Claims) Act 2017 and found enough grounds to detain the vessel.?

The detention, which took place on Tuesday in the presence of local police, was confirmed by Babita Dehury, the IIC of the Marine Police Station. The ship will remain in Paradip Port awaiting further court orders.??

Paradip Port: India’s Leading Cargo Handling Hub??

Paradip Port, located on the Mahanadi River delta in Orissa, India, is a new seaport with a water depth of 12 meters and an accommodating capacity up to 60,000 tons. The port is dedicated to exporting iron and manganese ores, as well as mica. It is connected by rail to the mineral-rich Orissa Plateau, and the ores are primarily shipped to Japan.?

In the fiscal year 2023/24, the Paradip Port Authority (PPA) achieved a cargo throughput of 145.38 million metric tons (MMT). The record not only surpassed previous figures but also propelled Paradip Port ahead of Kandla's Deendayal Port, placing it the top cargo handling major port in the country.???

Compared to the previous year, the port’s cargo throughput increased by 10.02 million metric tons, representing a 7.4% rise. Financially, the port performed robustly marked by operating revenue exceeding ?230 billion, a 14.30% increase from the previous fiscal year.??????????????????????????????????????????????

Notably, Paradip Port saw a significant growth in coastal shipping of thermal coal, reaching 43.97 million metric tons, up 4.02% from the previous year. This contributed to Paradip Port’s presence as a crucial hub for domestic coastal shipping in India.?????????????